Sony H400 vs Nikon D500
The Sony Cyber-shot DSC-H400 and the Nikon D500 are two digital cameras that were revealed to the public, respectively, in February 2014 and January 2016. The H400 is a fixed lens compact, while the D500 is a DSLR. The cameras are based on a 1/2.3-inch (H400) and an APS-C (D500) sensor. The Sony has a resolution of 19.9 megapixels, whereas the Nikon provides 20.7 MP.
Below is an overview of the main specs of the two cameras as a starting point for the comparison.
Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-H400 and the Nikon D500? Which one should you buy? Read on to find out how these two cameras compare with respect to their body size, their imaging sensors, their shooting features, their input-output connections, and their reception by expert reviewers.
Body comparison
The physical size and weight of the Sony H400 and the Nikon D500 are illustrated in the side-by-side display below. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three successive views from the front, the top, and the rear are shown. All width, height and depth measures are rounded to the nearest millimeter.
If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Nikon D500 is notably larger (37 percent) than the Sony H400. It is noteworthy in this context that the D500 is splash and dust-proof, while the H400 does not feature any corresponding weather-sealing.
The above size and weight comparisons are to some extent incomplete and possibly misleading, as the H400 has a lens built in, whereas the D500 is an interchangeable lens camera that requires a separate lens. Attaching the latter will add extra weight and bulk to the setup. You can compare the optics available for the D500 and their specifications in the Nikon Lens Catalog.
Concerning battery life, the H400 gets 300 shots out of its Sony NP-BX1 battery, while the D500 can take 1240 images on a single charge of its Nikon EN-EL15 power pack.
The adjacent table lists the principal physical characteristics of the two cameras alongside a wider set of alternatives. If you would like to visualize and compare a different camera combination, you can navigate to the CAM-parator app and make your selection from a broad list of cameras there.
# | Camera Model |
Camera Width |
Camera Height |
Camera Depth |
Camera Weight |
Battery Life |
Weather Sealing |
Camera Launch |
Launch Price (USD) |
Street Price |
|
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. | Sony H400 | 130 mm | 95 mm | 122 mm | 628 g | 300 | n | Feb 2014 | 319 | ebay.com | |
2. | Nikon D500 | 147 mm | 115 mm | 81 mm | 860 g | 1240 | Y | Jan 2016 | 1,999 | ebay.com | |
3. | Canon SX410 | 104 mm | 69 mm | 85 mm | 325 g | 185 | n | Feb 2015 | 279 | ebay.com | |
4. | Canon SX710 | 113 mm | 66 mm | 35 mm | 269 g | 230 | n | Jan 2015 | 349 | ebay.com | |
5. | Nikon D7500 | 136 mm | 104 mm | 73 mm | 720 g | 950 | Y | Apr 2017 | 1,299 | amazon.com | |
6. | Nikon D3400 | 124 mm | 98 mm | 76 mm | 445 g | 1200 | n | Aug 2016 | 499 | ebay.com | |
7. | Nikon D5500 | 124 mm | 97 mm | 70 mm | 470 g | 820 | n | Jan 2015 | 899 | ebay.com | |
8. | Nikon D7200 | 136 mm | 107 mm | 76 mm | 765 g | 1110 | Y | Mar 2015 | 1,199 | ebay.com | |
9. | Nikon L840 | 113 mm | 78 mm | 96 mm | 538 g | 590 | n | Feb 2015 | 299 | ebay.com | |
10. | Nikon D300S | 147 mm | 115 mm | 81 mm | 938 g | 950 | Y | Jul 2009 | 1,799 | ebay.com | |
11. | Sony HX99 | 102 mm | 58 mm | 36 mm | 242 g | 370 | n | Aug 2018 | 449 | ebay.com | |
12. | Sony HX80 | 102 mm | 58 mm | 36 mm | 245 g | 390 | n | Mar 2016 | 349 | ebay.com | |
13. | Sony HX350 | 130 mm | 93 mm | 103 mm | 652 g | 300 | n | Dec 2016 | 449 | ebay.com | |
14. | Sony HX90V | 102 mm | 58 mm | 36 mm | 245 g | 360 | n | Apr 2015 | 429 | ebay.com | |
15. | Sony HX400V | 130 mm | 93 mm | 103 mm | 660 g | 300 | n | Feb 2014 | 499 | ebay.com | |
16. | Sony H300 | 128 mm | 89 mm | 92 mm | 590 g | 350 | n | Feb 2014 | 219 | ebay.com | |
17. | Sony H200 | 123 mm | 83 mm | 87 mm | 530 g | 240 | n | Jan 2013 | 249 | ebay.com | |
Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as add-on or interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders. | |||||||||||
The price is, of course, an important factor in any camera decision. The retail prices at the time of the camera’s release place the model in the market relative to other models in the producer’s line-up and the competition. The H400 was launched at a lower price than the D500, despite having a lens built in. Normally, street prices remain initially close to the MSRP, but after a couple of months, the first discounts appear. Later in the product cycle and, in particular, when the replacement model is about to appear, further discounting and stock clearance sales often push the camera price considerably down.
Sensor comparison
The imaging sensor is at the core of digital cameras and its size is one of the main determining factors of image quality. A large sensor will tend to have larger individual pixels that provide better low-light sensitivity, wider dynamic range, and richer color-depth than smaller pixel-units in a sensor of the same technological generation. Furthermore, a large sensor camera will give the photographer more possibilities to use shallow depth-of-field in order to isolate a subject from the background. On the downside, larger sensors tend to be more expensive and lead to bigger and heavier cameras and lenses.
Of the two cameras under consideration, the Sony H400 features a 1/2.3-inch sensor and the Nikon D500 an APS-C sensor. The sensor area in the D500 is 1218 percent bigger. As a result of these sensor size differences, the cameras have a format factor of, respectively, 5.6 and 1.5. The sensor in the H400 has a native 4:3 aspect ratio, while the one in the D500 offers a 3:2 aspect.
With 20.7MP, the D500 offers a higher resolution than the H400 (19.9MP), but the D500 nevertheless has larger individual pixels (pixel pitch of 4.22μm versus 1.19μm for the H400) due to its larger sensor. Moreover, the D500 is a somewhat more recent model (by 1 year and 10 months) than the H400, and its sensor might have benefitted from technological advances during this time that further enhance the light gathering capacity of its pixel-units. Coming back to sensor resolution, it should be mentioned that neither of the two cameras has an anti-alias filter installed, so they are able to capture all the detail the sensor resolves.
The Sony Cyber-shot DSC-H400 has a native sensitivity range from ISO 80 to ISO 3200. The corresponding ISO settings for the Nikon D500 are ISO 100 to ISO 51200, with the possibility to increase the ISO range to 50-1640000.
In terms of underlying technology, the H400 is build around a CCD sensor, while the D500 uses a CMOS imager. Both cameras use a Bayer filter for capturing RGB colors on a square grid of photosensors. This arrangement is found in most digital cameras.
Since 2007, DXO Mark has published sensor performance measurements that have been derived using a consistent methodology. This service assesses and scores the color depth ("DXO Portrait"), dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), and low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports") of camera sensors, and also publishes an overall camera score. The adjacent table reports on the physical sensor characteristics and the outcomes of the DXO sensor quality tests for a sample of comparator-cameras.
# | Camera Model |
Sensor Class |
Resolution (MP) |
Horiz. Pixels |
Vert. Pixels |
Video Format |
DXO Portrait |
DXO Landscape |
DXO Sports |
DXO Overall |
|
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. | Sony H400 | 1/2.3 | 19.9 | 5152 | 3864 | 720/30p | 20.1 | 11.4 | 630 | 45 | |
2. | Nikon D500 | APS-C | 20.7 | 5568 | 3712 | 4K/30p | 24.0 | 14.0 | 1324 | 83 | |
3. | Canon SX410 | 1/2.3 | 19.9 | 5152 | 3864 | 720/30p | 20.2 | 11.6 | 720 | 47 | |
4. | Canon SX710 | 1/2.3 | 20.2 | 5184 | 3888 | 1080/60p | 20.2 | 11.6 | 712 | 47 | |
5. | Nikon D7500 | APS-C | 20.7 | 5568 | 3712 | 4K/30p | 24.3 | 14.0 | 1483 | 86 | |
6. | Nikon D3400 | APS-C | 24.0 | 6000 | 4000 | 1080/60p | 24.8 | 13.9 | 1192 | 86 | |
7. | Nikon D5500 | APS-C | 24.0 | 6000 | 4000 | 1080/60p | 24.1 | 14.0 | 1438 | 84 | |
8. | Nikon D7200 | APS-C | 24.0 | 6000 | 4000 | 1080/60p | 24.5 | 14.6 | 1333 | 87 | |
9. | Nikon L840 | 1/2.3 | 15.9 | 4608 | 3456 | 1080/60i | 20.2 | 11.6 | 721 | 47 | |
10. | Nikon D300S | APS-C | 12.2 | 4288 | 2848 | 720/24p | 22.5 | 12.2 | 787 | 70 | |
11. | Sony HX99 | 1/2.3 | 18.0 | 4896 | 3672 | 4K/30p | 20.6 | 12.1 | 1058 | 51 | |
12. | Sony HX80 | 1/2.3 | 18.0 | 4896 | 3672 | 1080/60p | 20.4 | 11.8 | 822 | 48 | |
13. | Sony HX350 | 1/2.3 | 19.9 | 5152 | 3864 | 1080/60p | 20.5 | 11.9 | 896 | 49 | |
14. | Sony HX90V | 1/2.3 | 18.0 | 4896 | 3672 | 1080/60p | 20.2 | 11.6 | 738 | 47 | |
15. | Sony HX400V | 1/2.3 | 20.2 | 5184 | 3888 | 1080/60p | 20.1 | 11.4 | 629 | 45 | |
16. | Sony H300 | 1/2.3 | 19.9 | 5152 | 3864 | 720/30p | 20.1 | 11.4 | 630 | 45 | |
17. | Sony H200 | 1/2.3 | 15.2 | 5184 | 2930 | 720/30p | 19.9 | 11.2 | 529 | 44 | |
Note: DXO values in italics represent estimates based on sensor size and age. |
Many modern cameras cannot only take still pictures, but also record videos. The two cameras under consideration both have sensors whose read-out speed is fast enough to capture moving pictures, but the D500 provides a better video resolution than the H400. It can shoot movie footage at 4K/30p, while the Sony is limited to 720/30p.
Feature comparison
Beyond body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. For example, the H400 has an electronic viewfinder (210k dots), while the D500 has an optical one. Both systems have their advantages, with the electronic viewfinder making it possible to project supplementary shooting information into the framing view, whereas the optical viewfinder offers lag-free viewing and a very clear framing image. The table below summarizes some of the other core capabilities of the Sony H400 and Nikon D500 in connection with corresponding information for a sample of similar cameras.
# | Camera Model |
Viewfinder (Type or 000 dots) |
Control Panel (yes/no) |
LCD Specifications (inch/000 dots) |
LCD Attach- ment |
Touch Screen (yes/no) |
Max Shutter Speed * |
Max Shutter Flaps * |
Built-in Flash (yes/no) |
Built-in Image Stab |
|
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. | Sony H400 | 210 | n | 3.0 / 460 | fixed | n | 1/2000s | 0.7/s | Y | Y | |
2. | Nikon D500 | optical | Y | 3.2 / 2359 | tilting | Y | 1/8000s | 10.0/s | n | n | |
3. | Canon SX410 | none | n | 3.0 / 230 | fixed | n | 1/4000s | 0.5/s | Y | Y | |
4. | Canon SX710 | none | n | 3.0 / 922 | fixed | n | 1/3200s | 6.0/s | Y | Y | |
5. | Nikon D7500 | optical | Y | 3.2 / 922 | tilting | Y | 1/8000s | 8.0/s | Y | n | |
6. | Nikon D3400 | optical | n | 3.0 / 921 | fixed | n | 1/4000s | 5.0/s | Y | n | |
7. | Nikon D5500 | optical | n | 3.2 / 1037 | swivel | Y | 1/4000s | 5.0/s | Y | n | |
8. | Nikon D7200 | optical | Y | 3.2 / 1229 | fixed | n | 1/8000s | 6.0/s | Y | n | |
9. | Nikon L840 | none | n | 3.0 / 921 | tilting | n | 1/4000s | 7.4/s | Y | Y | |
10. | Nikon D300S | optical | Y | 3.0 / 920 | fixed | n | 1/8000s | 7.0/s | Y | n | |
11. | Sony HX99 | 638 | n | 3.0 / 922 | tilting | Y | 1/2000s | 10.0/s | Y | Y | |
12. | Sony HX80 | 638 | n | 3.0 / 922 | tilting | n | 1/2000s | 10.0/s | Y | Y | |
13. | Sony HX350 | 202 | n | 3.0 / 922 | tilting | n | 1/4000s | 10.0/s | Y | Y | |
14. | Sony HX90V | 638 | n | 3.0 / 921 | tilting | n | 1/2000s | 10.0/s | Y | Y | |
15. | Sony HX400V | 210 | n | 3.0 / 921 | tilting | n | 1/4000s | 10.0/s | Y | Y | |
16. | Sony H300 | none | n | 3.0 / 460 | fixed | n | 1/1500s | 0.8/s | Y | Y | |
17. | Sony H200 | none | n | 3.0 / 460 | fixed | n | 1/1500s | 0.8/s | Y | Y | |
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one. |
One difference between the cameras concerns the presence of an on-board flash. The H400 has one, while the D500 does not. While the built-in flash of the H400 is not very powerful, it can at times be useful as a fill-in light.
The Nikon D500 has an intervalometer built-in. This enables the photographer to capture time lapse sequences, such as flower blooming, a sunset or moon rise, without purchasing an external camera trigger and related software.
The H400 writes its imaging data to SDXC or Memory Stick PRO Duo cards, while the D500 uses SDXC or XQD cards. The D500 features dual card slots, which can be very useful in case a memory card fails. In contrast, the H400 only has one slot. The D500 supports UHS-II cards (Ultra High Speed data transfer of up to 312 MB/s), while the H400 cannot take advantage of Ultra High Speed SD cards.
Connectivity comparison
For some imaging applications, the extent to which a camera can communicate with its environment can be an important aspect in the camera decision process. The table below provides an overview of the connectivity of the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-H400 and Nikon D500 and, in particular, the interfaces the cameras (and selected comparators) provide for accessory control and data transfer.
# | Camera Model |
Hotshoe Port |
Internal Mic / Speaker |
Microphone Port |
Headphone Port |
HDMI Port |
USB Port |
WiFi Support |
NFC Support |
Bluetooth Support |
|
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. | Sony H400 | - | mono / mono | - | - | micro | 2.0 | Y | - | - | |
2. | Nikon D500 | Y | stereo / mono | Y | Y | mini | 3.0 | Y | Y | Y | |
3. | Canon SX410 | - | stereo / mono | - | - | - | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
4. | Canon SX710 | - | stereo / mono | - | - | micro | 2.0 | Y | Y | - | |
5. | Nikon D7500 | Y | stereo / mono | Y | Y | mini | 2.0 | Y | - | Y | |
6. | Nikon D3400 | Y | mono / mono | - | - | mini | 2.0 | - | - | Y | |
7. | Nikon D5500 | Y | stereo / mono | Y | - | mini | 2.0 | Y | - | - | |
8. | Nikon D7200 | Y | stereo / mono | Y | Y | mini | 2.0 | Y | Y | - | |
9. | Nikon L840 | - | stereo / mono | - | - | micro | 2.0 | Y | Y | - | |
10. | Nikon D300S | Y | stereo / mono | Y | - | mini | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
11. | Sony HX99 | - | stereo / mono | - | - | micro | 2.0 | Y | Y | Y | |
12. | Sony HX80 | - | stereo / mono | - | - | micro | 2.0 | Y | Y | - | |
13. | Sony HX350 | - | stereo / mono | - | - | micro | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
14. | Sony HX90V | - | stereo / mono | - | - | micro | 2.0 | Y | Y | - | |
15. | Sony HX400V | Y | stereo / mono | - | - | micro | 2.0 | Y | Y | - | |
16. | Sony H300 | - | mono / mono | - | - | micro | 2.0 | Y | - | - | |
17. | Sony H200 | - | mono / mono | - | - | - | 2.0 | - | - | - |
It is notable that the D500 has a microphone port, which can help to improve the quality of audio recordings by attaching an external microphone. The H400 does not feature such a mic input.
Studio photographers will appreciate that the Nikon D500 (unlike the H400) features a PC Sync socket, so that professional strobe lights can be controlled by the camera.
Both the H400 and the D500 have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. Neither of the two has a direct successor, so they represent the end of the respective camera lines from Sony and Nikon. Further information on the features and operation of the H400 and D500 can be found, respectively, in the Sony H400 Manual (free pdf) or the online Nikon D500 Manual.
Review summary
So what conclusions can be drawn? Is the Sony H400 better than the Nikon D500 or vice versa? The listing below highlights the relative strengths of the two models.
Reasons to prefer the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-H400:
- More framing info: Has an electronic viewfinder that displays shooting data.
- Ready to shoot: Comes with a built-in lens, while the D500 requires a separate lens.
- More compact: Is smaller (130x95mm vs 147x115mm) and thus needs less room in the bag.
- Less heavy: Is lighter even though it comes with a built-in lens (unlike the D500).
- Sharper images: Has hand-shake reducing image stabilization built-in.
- Easier fill-in: Is equipped with a small onboard flash to brighten deep shadow areas.
- More affordable: Was introduced at a lower price, despite coming with a built-in lens.
- More heavily discounted: Has been on the market for longer (launched in February 2014).
Advantages of the Nikon D500:
- Better image quality: Is equipped with a larger and more technologically advanced sensor.
- Richer colors: The sensor size advantage translates into images with better, more accurate colors.
- More dynamic range: Larger sensor captures a wider spectrum of light and dark details.
- Better low-light sensitivity: Larger sensor produces good images even in poorly lit environments.
- Better video: Provides higher definition movie capture (4K/30p vs 720/30p).
- Better sound: Can connect to an external microphone for higher quality sound recording.
- Better sound control: Has a headphone port that enables audio monitoring while recording.
- Brighter framing: Features an optical viewfinder for clear, lag-free composition.
- Easier setting verification: Features a control panel on top to check shooting parameters.
- Larger screen: Has a bigger rear LCD (3.2" vs 3.0") for image review and settings control.
- More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (2359k vs 460k dots).
- More flexible LCD: Has a tilting screen for odd-angle shots in landscape orientation.
- Fewer buttons to press: Has a touchscreen to facilitate handling and shooting adjustments.
- Faster shutter: Has higher mechanical shutter speed (1/8000s vs 1/2000s) to freeze action.
- Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (10 vs 0.7 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
- Easier time-lapse photography: Has an intervalometer built-in for low frequency shooting.
- More flexible: Makes it possible to change lenses and thus to use specialty optics.
- Longer lasting: Gets more shots (1240 versus 300) out of a single battery charge.
- Better sealing: Is splash and dust sealed for shooting in inclement weather conditions.
- Better lighting: Features a hotshoe and can thus hold and trigger an external flash gun.
- Faster data transfer: Supports a more advanced USB protocol (3.0 vs 2.0).
- Easier device pairing: Supports NFC for fast wireless image transfer over short distances.
- Easier wireless transfer: Supports Bluetooth for image sharing without cables.
- Better studio light control: Has a PC Sync socket to connect to professional strobe lights.
- Greater peace of mind: Features a second card slot as a backup in case of memory card failure.
- Faster buffer clearing: Has an SD card interface that supports the UHS-II standard.
- More modern: Was introduced somewhat (1 year and 10 months) more recently.
If the count of individual advantages (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the D500 is the clear winner of the contest (27 : 8 points). However, the relevance of individual strengths will vary across photographers, so that you might want to apply your own weighing scheme to the summary points when reflecting and deciding on a new camera. A professional wildlife photographer will view the differences between cameras in a way that diverges from the perspective of a family photog, and a person interested in architecture has distinct needs from a sports shooter. Hence, the decision which camera is best and worth buying is often a very personal one.
How about other alternatives? Do the specifications of the Sony H400 and the Nikon D500 place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best Superzoom Camera and Best DSLR Camera listings whether the two cameras rank among the cream of the crop.
In any case, while the comparison of the spec-sheets of cameras can offer a general idea of their imaging potential, it remains partial and cannot reveal, for example, the shooting experience and imaging performance when actually working with the H400 or the D500. At times, user reviews, such as those published at amazon, address these issues in a useful manner, but such feedback is on many occasions incomplete, inconsistent, and unreliable.
Expert reviews
This is why hands-on reviews by experts are important. The table below provides a synthesis of the camera assessments of some of the best known photo-gear review sites (amateurphotographer [AP], cameralabs [CL], digitalcameraworld [DCW], dpreview [DPR], ephotozine [EPZ], photographyblog [PB]). As can be seen, the professional reviewers agree in many cases on the quality of different cameras, but sometimes their assessments diverge, reinforcing the earlier point that a camera decision is often a very personal choice.
# | Camera Model |
AP score |
CL score |
DCW score |
DPR score |
EPZ score |
PB score |
Camera Launch |
Launch Price (USD) |
Street Price |
|
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. | Sony H400 | .. | o | .. | .. | 3.5/5 | 3.5/5 | Feb 2014 | 319 | ebay.com | |
2. | Nikon D500 | 5/5 | + + | 4.7/5 | 91/100 | 4.5/5 | 5/5 | Jan 2016 | 1,999 | ebay.com | |
3. | Canon SX410 | .. | o | .. | .. | .. | .. | Feb 2015 | 279 | ebay.com | |
4. | Canon SX710 | .. | + | .. | .. | 4/5 | 3.5/5 | Jan 2015 | 349 | ebay.com | |
5. | Nikon D7500 | 4.5/5 | + + | 4.5/5 | 86/100 | 5/5 | 4.5/5 | Apr 2017 | 1,299 | amazon.com | |
6. | Nikon D3400 | 4/5 | + | 4/5 | 76/100 | 4/5 | 4.5/5 | Aug 2016 | 499 | ebay.com | |
7. | Nikon D5500 | 5/5 | + | .. | 79/100 | 4.5/5 | 4.5/5 | Jan 2015 | 899 | ebay.com | |
8. | Nikon D7200 | 4/5 | + + | .. | 84/100 | 4.5/5 | 4.5/5 | Mar 2015 | 1,199 | ebay.com | |
9. | Nikon L840 | .. | + + | .. | .. | 3.5/5 | 4/5 | Feb 2015 | 299 | ebay.com | |
10. | Nikon D300S | 5/5 | + + | .. | 82/100 | 4/5 | 4.5/5 | Jul 2009 | 1,799 | ebay.com | |
11. | Sony HX99 | .. | .. | .. | .. | 4/5 | 4.5/5 | Aug 2018 | 449 | ebay.com | |
12. | Sony HX80 | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | Mar 2016 | 349 | ebay.com | |
13. | Sony HX350 | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | 4/5 | Dec 2016 | 449 | ebay.com | |
14. | Sony HX90V | 4/5 | + + | .. | .. | 4/5 | 4.5/5 | Apr 2015 | 429 | ebay.com | |
15. | Sony HX400V | 4/5 | + + | .. | .. | 4/5 | 4/5 | Feb 2014 | 499 | ebay.com | |
16. | Sony H300 | .. | + | .. | .. | 4.5/5 | 4/5 | Feb 2014 | 219 | ebay.com | |
17. | Sony H200 | .. | .. | .. | .. | 3.5/5 | 3.5/5 | Jan 2013 | 249 | ebay.com | |
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available. |
Care should be taken when interpreting the review scores above, though. The ratings are only valid when referring to cameras in the same category and of the same age. Hence, a score should always be seen in the context of the camera's market launch date and its price, and rating-comparisons among cameras that span long time periods or concern very differently equipped models make little sense. It should also be noted that some of the review sites have over time altered the way they render their verdicts.
Other camera comparisons
Did this review help to inform your camera decision process? If you would like to see a different side-by-side camera review, just make a corresponding selection in the search boxes below. As an alternative, you can also directly jump to any one of the listed comparisons that were previously generated by the CAM-parator tool.
- Canon G16 vs Nikon D500
- Canon SX710 vs Nikon D500
- Fujifilm X-E1 vs Nikon D500
- Leica V-LUX 5 vs Nikon D500
- Nikon D500 vs Olympus E-M5
- Nikon D500 vs Sony HX95
- Nikon P7800 vs Sony H400
- Olympus E-P1 vs Sony H400
- Olympus E-PL7 vs Sony H400
- Olympus E-PL9 vs Sony H400
- Panasonic ZS70 vs Sony H400
- Sony A5000 vs Sony H400
Specifications: Sony H400 vs Nikon D500
Below is a side-by-side comparison of the specs of the two cameras to facilitate a quick review of their differences and common features.
Camera Model | Sony H400 | Nikon D500 |
---|---|---|
Camera Type | Fixed lens compact camera | Digital single lens reflex |
Camera Lens | 24.5-1550mm f/3.4-6.5 | Nikon F mount lenses |
Launch Date | February 2014 | January 2016 |
Launch Price | USD 319 | USD 1,999 |
Sensor Specs | Sony H400 | Nikon D500 |
Sensor Technology | CCD | CMOS |
Sensor Format | 1/2.3" Sensor | APS-C Sensor |
Sensor Size | 6.17 x 4.55 mm | 23.5 x 15.7 mm |
Sensor Area | 28.0735 mm2 | 368.95 mm2 |
Sensor Diagonal | 7.7 mm | 28.3 mm |
Crop Factor | 5.6x | 1.5x |
Sensor Resolution | 19.9 Megapixels | 20.7 Megapixels |
Image Resolution | 5152 x 3864 pixels | 5568 x 3712 pixels |
Pixel Pitch | 1.19 μm | 4.22 μm |
Pixel Density | 70.91 MP/cm2 | 5.60 MP/cm2 |
Moiré control | no AA filter | no AA filter |
Movie Capability | 720/30p Video | 4K/30p Video |
ISO Setting | 80 - 3,200 ISO | 100 - 51,200 ISO |
ISO Boost | no Enhancement | 50 - 1,640,000 ISO |
Image Processor | BIONZ | EXPEED 5 |
DXO Sensor Quality (score) | .. | 83 |
DXO Color Depth (bits) | .. | 24.0 |
DXO Dynamic Range (EV) | .. | 14.0 |
DXO Low Light (ISO) | .. | 1324 |
Screen Specs | Sony H400 | Nikon D500 |
Viewfinder Type | Electronic viewfinder | Optical viewfinder |
Viewfinder Field of View | 100% | 100% |
Viewfinder Magnification | 0.67x | |
Viewfinder Resolution | 210k dots | |
Top-Level Screen | no Top Display | Control Panel |
LCD Framing | Live View | Live View |
Rear LCD Size | 3.0inch | 3.2inch |
LCD Resolution | 460k dots | 2359k dots |
LCD Attachment | Fixed screen | Tilting screen |
Touch Input | no Touchscreen | Touchscreen |
Shooting Specs | Sony H400 | Nikon D500 |
Focus System | Contrast-detect AF | Phase-detect AF |
Continuous Shooting | 0.7 shutter flaps/s | 10 shutter flaps/s |
Time-Lapse Photography | no Intervalometer | Intervalometer built-in |
Fill Flash | Built-in Flash | no On-Board Flash |
Storage Medium | MS or SDXC cards | SDXC or XQD cards |
Single or Dual Card Slots | Single card slot | Dual card slots |
UHS card support | no | UHS-II |
Connectivity Specs | Sony H400 | Nikon D500 |
External Flash | no Hotshoe | Hotshoe |
Studio Flash | no PC Sync | PC Sync socket |
USB Connector | USB 2.0 | USB 3.0 |
HDMI Port | micro HDMI | mini HDMI |
Microphone Port | no MIC socket | External MIC port |
Headphone Socket | no Headphone port | Headphone port |
Wifi Support | Wifi built-in | Wifi built-in |
Near-Field Communication | no NFC | NFC built-in |
Bluetooth Support | no Bluetooth | Bluetooth built-in |
Body Specs | Sony H400 | Nikon D500 |
Environmental Sealing | not weather sealed | Weathersealed body |
Battery Type | Sony NP-BX1 | Nikon EN-EL15 |
Battery Life (CIPA) | 300 shots per charge | 1240 shots per charge |
Body Dimensions |
130 x 95 x 122 mm (5.1 x 3.7 x 4.8 in) |
147 x 115 x 81 mm (5.8 x 4.5 x 3.2 in) |
Camera Weight | 628 g (22.2 oz) | 860 g (30.3 oz) |
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